Contemplazione

It was Struggle For Pleasures!

No, I was serious! It was a beautiful advertisement for the Merit Cup (which I don't know what it is) from several years ago, and there was a sailboat with a yellow sail and the logo above in a stormy sea, and after a while the sailors would return home (fireplace already lit, of course) and have a drink. Thanks for the advice. Take that!

By now, the preferred sport has become writing enthusiastic "reviews" of trash (like ihsahn) or "review"-insults of great masterpieces, like this big pirl. All for the purpose of... who knows??? If you want to be provocateurs, you at least need to present relevant arguments! Or make us laugh! Want to find flaws in the cornerstones? Bring it on, down with taboos. But this is just trash.

Swordfishtrombones, a masterpiece by Waits, alongside Rain Dogs. I don't have this one, but the cover is truly evocative. I hope it's not all in the style of some "boring" pieces that served as fillers in Small Change and Blue Valentine, like the annoying and repetitive "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)" and "Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis"!

Jokester of a PIG ;-). I had imagined it, but I couldn't resist the challenge, I'm a bit like Marty McFly... Of course, you really like Wes, I remember you brought him up on another occasion! It's not like you only know that one, ANIMALO??

SOMARO, it wasn’t a complete list of jazz records to have; if I were to compile one, I’d fill entire pages, not to mention annoy everyone! I just replied to Melissa, giving advice regarding the names she mentioned and that’s it. It makes me smile that she complains about the absence of Wes Montgomery, when the real missing figures would have been quite different...;-)

The dear, good old Happypippo... do you know that on Friday night at 24:15 he will be seen playing on Rai Due with Gerardo Balestrieri at the Tenco award?

Wim Mertens, that beautiful music from the merit cup? Could you recommend something to me?

If you listen to it for 5-10 minutes, it’s beautiful and melodic, but then it becomes annoyingly repetitive. I saw one of his concerts at the auditorium a couple of years ago, in a duo with a kind of DJ-noisemaker who was sampling and mixing sounds live with his voice, looping them, with echo effects, etc. In the end, I was one of the few who didn’t applaud, bewildered by the unjustified semi-ovation. It seems many were there to act intellectual. An incoherent review, the trick of harshly criticizing only to then write: "Now, answer this question: why does Ludovico Einaudi manage to move me differently every time, transmitting a strong load of sensations, despite having an instrumental technique dangerously close to zero?" doesn't work and is a bit irritating! Tell us why it moves you... by the way, what does technique have to do with emotion? Where do we put Satie's minimalism then? Yet, in its bare simplicity, it’s a very emotional music! The problem with Einaudi lies in the lack of ideas, not in the technique.

Sweet Melissa, ask and you shall receive regarding jazz!!! With the reviewer’s permission on Oregon, I would recommend starting with "Distant Hills" and "Music Of Another Present Era"; for Monk, you can't go wrong with: "Genius Of Modern Music Vol.1 & 2", "Thelonious Monk Trio", "Thelonious Himself", "Brilliant Corners", and "The Complete Columbia Solo Studio Recordings (2cd)". Lester Young: "The Complete Aladdin Sessions (2cd)", "The President Plays". Bix Beiderbecke: "Bix And Tram" (4cd from the fantastic JSP label, at a ridiculous price considering the quality and quantity, around 28-29 euros). Coleman Hawkins: "Encounters Ben Webster", "The Hawk Flies High", the masterpiece duo with Sonny Rollins (under Sonny's name) "Sonny Meets Hawk", and a collection that includes the track Body And Soul from '39, his masterpiece. A very good one has just been released by Definitive. Sidney Bechet: the excellent collection "Shake 'em Up (2cd)". As for Charlie Parker, you have to shell out a bit more... single cds don’t do much justice! "The Complete Savoy Sessions (4cd Definitive)", "The Complete Dial Sessions (4cd Definitive)", and "Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker On Verve (10 cd)". Cost: about 35 euros for the Definitive and 60 for the Verve. The single "decent" cds would be these, with other material: "The Quintet: Jazz At Massey Hall", "Bird And Fats-Live At Birdland", "Charlie Parker At Storyville". Art Blakey: "A Night At Birdland Vol.1 & 2", "Moanin'", "Like Someone In Love", "Free For All". For jazz in general... you've got plenty to explore!! ;-)